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Otto Raulstein
In Biggles and the Penitent Thief, Otto Raulstein was the leader of the gang of robbers who mounted the robbery at the jewelry firm of Marchants of London, making off with jewels worth some one quarter of a million pounds. Raulstein had a Armenian father and a Turkish mother but was naturalised British. Tommy Miller, who joined his gang for the jewel robbery had the impression that Raulstein had been a criminal for a long time but had skilfully avoided the law by ensuring that others did the dangerous work for him. At the time Tommy first met him, Raulstein, obviously successful from previous crimes, lived in a big house in Wimbledon. Raulstein planned the jewel robbery carefully, first in gathering the right talents, such as Tommy Miller, who worked in a firm specialising in locks for safes. He also prepared an escape plan by securing a yacht, the Lapwing moored at Ichenor. The robbery was carried out over the weekend. the gang members Lew Darris, Tommy Miller, and Grant who was the engineer of the yacht were sent in to conduct the break in. Raultstein himself took the precaution of waiting outside in the getaway car. After the robbery, the gang boarded the Lapwing and sailed for America. Unfortunately for Raulstein, the engine of the yacht broke down and the vessel began to drift off course. Not having any further use for an engineer, Raulstein murdered Grant by pushing him overboard. The yacht eventually ran aground and sank off Marten Island on the Atlantic coast of Labrador, Canada. The remaining gang members made their way onto the island and had the good fortune of finding a log cabin equipped with canned food and other supplies. While the gang took refuge there, Raulstein attempted to hide the sack of stolen jewels but was seen by Lew Darris who told Miller. Miller then moved the hidden sack to another location. Knowing their lives might be in danger, Darris plotted with Miller to kill Raulstein first. Unfortunately, while Darris was lifting a poker to strike Raulstein, a ring dropped from his pocket. Raulstein saw this as a sign of treachery and shot Darris first. He then discovered that his sack of jewels had been moved and blamed it on Darris. He might have killed Miller as well but at this time, the two of them were picked up by Angus Campbell, the owner of the island, and taken to Rankinton on the mainland. After staying a night Miller, fearing for his life, left Rankinton and made his way to Britain. Raulstein was, however, determined to return to Marten Island to search for the jewels. He persuaded Campbell to take him over in his boat on the excuse that he wanted to search for a gold watch which his mother had given to him. On the way, he knocked Campbell on the head and pushed him overboard and took the boat. After searching the island for a while, Raulstein must have realized that the task was beyond him. He returned to the mainland and contacted some American associates of his for help. Raulstein's American friends, led by one Mr Read arrived and picked Raulstein up in a launch, the Grey Goose and the group then sailed for Marten Island again to continue their search. There they encountered Biggles and co. who had arrived with Tommy Miller to recover the jewels for the British authorities. For a time, Raulstein and his associates had the upper hand, especially after they abducted Tommy Miller and forced him to reveal the location of the jewels. But this advantage whould come to nothing. Raulstein did eventually discover the jewels but a row broke out between him and his American associates. In a confrontation which was witnessed by Biggles and co., Read shot Raulstein in what he would later argue was self-defence because Raulstein had just shot his ship's cook and seemed on the point of shooting him. Category:People Category:Biggles characters Category:Air Police era characters